In a data processing system there is a frequent need to manipulate information and, while manipulating information, there is a frequent need to search an operand to determine whether it contains one set of predetermined characters or sequences of characters. Such characters could, for example, be blanks (spaces), punctuation marks, decimal digits, etc., or, for example, could be a predetermined name or names in a list of names. Similarly, there is sometimes a need to verify whether the operand, which may include a list of items, contains such predetermined items, such items, for example, being similar to those in the case for searching. In the prior art, such operations have been handled by software subroutines consisting of multiple software instructions such as alphanumeric compares, branches, etc., which subroutines ordinarily take a longer period of time to execute. It is desirable to minimize the time required to perform such search and verify operations particularly due to the frequent use thereof in a data processing system. Further, such prior art systems have been limited in the number of items or indicia which can be searched for or verified with elements in a string or array (or table) of elements.
It is accordingly a primary object of the invention to provide an improved alphanumeric search technique for use in a data processing system.